


Fail-Safe

by AkikoFumi



Category: Bleach
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, First Kiss, Grimmjow & Ichigo have weekly fights and that's canon for me, Happy Ending, I tagged this as Major Character Death but he gets better so, Inspired by Fanart, Light Angst, Love At First Fight, M/M, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:13:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29637918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkikoFumi/pseuds/AkikoFumi
Summary: Grimmjow had been holding back lately during their weekly fights and Ichigo was determined to find out why.
Relationships: Grimmjow Jaegerjaques & Kurosaki Ichigo, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 12
Kudos: 65





	Fail-Safe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Uniformshark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uniformshark/gifts).



> So this is loosely inspired by this amazing bit of fanart right here: https://twitter.com/akahata777/status/1260936797116198920 
> 
> To which I basically said that it would be a great concept if Grimmjow killed Ichigo but he wasn't happy about it, he felt //regret//. And THEN Kashi came into my DM's and suggested a whole storyline, out of which I was humbly allowed to construct this fic. The entire first chapter is basically what Kashi wrote to me - and this could be done with just this one chapter. But because I'm soft and I need my boys to kiss, there's chapter 2 in the making right now to get them together. 
> 
> Please enjoy!

Usually during fights, Grimmjow was all instinct and graceful movements, he was steel and strength and determination. He was a force of nature, destructive but beautiful in the way he raged - not that Ichigo would ever tell him that. 

Right now, however, there was not even a single trace of that usual control and grace.

Instead his strikes were calculated and  _ painfully _ slow - Ichigo had no trouble dodging, seeing each of them come from miles away. It frustrated him, because since when was Grimmjow holding back against him? He went all out, at all times, murderous intent behind each blow. 

It was what made their fights so much  _ fun. _

But now? Grimmjow made no real effort to hit him, Ichigo realised. And when Pantera caught on his arm and sliced the skin open, sending droplets of blood flying into the air, Ichigo  _ swore _ that Grimmjow's eyes widened with something that looked a lot like fear. 

Except Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez did not get scared. Not ever. He was someone who laughed in the face of whatever was in his way and he would slash it with his claws, dying a warrior's death before even considering to run or give up.

The thing was, Ichigo had noticed this reluctance in Grimmjow's fighting style for a while now. He could roughly pinpoint the date it had changed to a few weeks back but he had guessed it was just one of Grimmjow's moods. Sometimes it just happened, Grimmjow would sulk or pout for whatever reason, maybe Jinta or Urahara had pissed him off and then their fights got all the more intense because Ichigo was his  _ outlet _ for this frustration - but this kept going on and Ichigo began to resent it. 

"What’s wrong, Grimmjow?,” he called out from across the field they were standing in, not too far from each other but not within striking distance either. “You’re not even trying anymore! Since when did you stop fighting to  _ win _ ?”

Ichigo’s words were carefully picked because if there was one surefire way to rile Grimmjow up, it was to take a jab at his pride. Sure enough, the reaction he got was an angry growl, teeth exposed in a snarl. He wasn’t even in  _ resurrección _ , was just fighting Ichigo with his blade alone. It was weird, goddamnit. 

They clashed again, sparks flying as their swords collided but not even that held the usual force. It was almost easy to push back against Grimmjow’s attack, to drive him away and force him into defensive moves. All he did was parry Ichigo’s blows, really, no attempt to get in a real hit. 

Like he was  _ afraid _ . 

Whether or not his thoughts showed on his face, Ichigo didn’t know but Grimmjow must have seen something in his expression because his eyes narrowed in a thoroughly annoyed way.

“You’re talking way too much shit, Kurosaki,” the arrancar snarked back and flash-stepped behind Ichigo - but again, so slow,  _ too slow _ , nowhere near his usual speed. Ichigo was pretty sure he could have blocked the blow with his arm and not risk losing it. 

This wasn’t like Grimmjow at all and Ichigo was getting really fed up.

He moved, faster thanks to his Bankai, swung Zangetsu around and brought the blade down with force. Grimmjow blocked him and they stood like that for a second, swords crossed, faces mere inches apart from each other. The shrill screech of metal against metal cut through the air, then there was nothing but their harsh breathing. 

Ichigo looked up and found Grimmjow’s eyes. Blue as the sky, pupils blown wide; a familiar expression except it was lacking the usual murderous undertones, lacking the excitement Ichigo normally saw when he looked at his frenemy. “I thought your only goal was to  _ kill _ me," Ichigo taunted, watching Grimmjow for a reaction. “Have you lost sight of that goal? Where’s your will to  _ defeat me _ ?”

Grimmjow’s whole face scrunched up at the words as if he had bitten into a lemon. It was the most expressive face Ichigo had ever seen him make and then Grimmjow growled, visibly angry, before he put his weight against Zangetsu and pushed Ichigo away with force.

Surprised at the sudden change of pace, Ichigo didn’t immediately fall back into battle stance. He just stood, waited,  _ watched.  _

“I  _ did win _ !!,” Grimmjow shouted at him and to Ichigo’s utter shock and surprise, his voice fucking  _ broke _ . “I  _ won _ and my euphoria over having finally  _ killed you _ lasted for a mere few seconds before it all came crashing down!!”

The words didn’t register at first. 

Ichigo heard them just fine but simply could not process them, staring at Grimmjow with wide eyes, frozen. Grimmjow had killed him? When had that happened? How? Why didn’t he  _ remember _ \- 

It dawned on Ichigo not a second later, a sudden memory hitting him like a bucket of ice water and he sucked in a breath that sounded as unsteady as he felt. 

Three weeks ago. 

He’d been fighting against Grimmjow as usual, just their weekly training full of banter and teasing, trading blows and insults equally. Ichigo didn’t remember the outcome of that fight, come to think of it. The memories of it were fuzzy, blurry, as if he had been blackout-drunk and could only remember bits and pieces. 

He had assumed he’d simply lost consciousness, since it wasn’t out of the norm for them to fight to the point of absolute exhaustion and then some more until they were both bleeding, laying side by side in the sand as they caught their breath. A stalemate as usual. 

Grimmjow’s voice, rough like he had gargled sandpaper and nails, cut through the ringing in Ichigo’s head. 

“You didn’t raise as a goddamn Vasto Lorde to shred me to pieces, you just… stayed  _ dead _ .” 

Ichigo forced himself to focus his eyes and look at Grimmjow, while simultaneously trying to get his heartbeat under control. His ribs shuddered with the force of his galloping heart as he processed the news. Grimmjow looked… Hell, he looked like  _ shit _ , guilty and unsettled and he gripped Pantera so hard his knuckles were white, but the sword still shook in his grasp.

“I fucking grabbed you and rushed to find that Inoue brat,” Grimmjow added before he fell absolutely silent. He didn’t have to say more. Ichigo could imagine very well how the rest of it had happened, how Grimmjow had probably scared Inoue for life because he had likely burst into her small apartment with no care at all and demanding her to heal Ichigo. 

Her godlike powers had brought him back just in time it seemed, likely only because Grimmjow had reacted so fast and delivered Ichigo’s still warm body to her in mere moments. 

Ichigo pressed a hand against his heart, the other against his face, Zangetsu clattering to the ground with a sharp noise. It felt like the world around him was shaking and he barely kept himself upright, sheer force of will preventing his knees from buckling. Inoue had not mentioned any of this to him, but maybe Ichigo had not paid enough attention. It was hard for him to focus on other things when he knew Grimmjow was around.

“Why?”

A little startled at the sudden sound he pulled his hand away from his face and looked over, met Grimmjow’s eyes. Darker now, guarded. 

“Why what, Grimmjow?”

The arrancar swallowed; Ichigo couldn’t help but track the movement as Grimmjow’s throat worked. His voice was thin. 

“... Why didn’t you become Vasto Lorde?” A pause. “ _ Why didn’t you come back _ ?” 

If Ichigo wouldn’t know him, wouldn’t know Grimmjow as well as he did after spending nearly half a year fighting him on a weekly basis, he would have said that Grimmjow sounded.... desperate. But that couldn’t be it. 

Ichigo hung his head, dug his fingers into the fabric of his shihakusho. The heartbeat under his skin felt calming despite how fast it was. He was silent for a long moment, before he looked back up, expression softening. He couldn’t meet Grimmjow’s gaze.

“For lack of a better explanation… my hollow side and I are at an understanding. We’ve established a balance, so to say.” Ichigo worked his jaw and swallowed. “I know he would do anything to keep me alive, no matter the cost. But I want to die as myself… if it’s you killing me. He accepted my wish.”

Each word felt like a confession, like admitting something Ichigo had not even come to terms with himself but it felt important to say it. He took a deep breath. 

“I just didn't think it would happen so fast.”

For a long moment, there was nothing but silence that followed his words, as if the world around them held its breath in wait. Ichigo couldn’t bring himself to look up, afraid to see Grimmjow’s expression and his reaction to what had been said. 

And then there was movement, there was noise - a sound like something tearing apart as energy gathered and opened a portal. Ichigo didn’t have to see to recognize the sound of the Garganta, feeling his heart sink. 

When he finally found the courage to look up, he stood alone in the rubble of their battle field.

Grimmjow was gone.


End file.
